Expert Options for Remote Backups

What you will learn from this tip: SearchStorage.com readers frequently ask questions about remote backup. This article offers a collection of expert responses to recent reader questions.

Branch offices and an increased awareness of the need for disaster preparedness continue to drive interest in remote backup among our readers.

Over the past year, we have seen a steady stream of questions about remote backup in the Ask the Expert section of SearchStorage.

According to Pierre Dorion, certified business continuity professional with Mainland Information Systems Inc., remote backups address a disaster recovery requirement for a lot of organizations. "Not having your production data and backup copy in the same place at any time is ideal," he said.

Dorion also noted that many organizations are geographically dispersed, or have many mobile users. Remote backups offer a means of centralization and, in some cases, an economy of scale.

Also, "backups are not a core competency for most companies," Dorion said. "When used as a third-party service, remote backups allow companies, which could not otherwise afford it, to benefit from best-of-class technology and top expertise."

As a result of these factors, the popularity of remote backup is growing. "I believe the trend is going to increase significantly, especially with SMBs [small and midsized businesses], which benefit the most from remote backup as a service," Dorion said. "I don't expect to see much in terms of new technology, but I think we will see a refinement of existing technology, such as WAN acceleration, SIS [single instance storage] and deduplication."

Remote backup: What are the alternatives to tape?

Archiving expert Bill Tolson offers advice to a reader looking for alternatives to shipping tape off site, including a graphical representation of the remote replication backup process.

Data Guard-based replication vs. SAN-based (EVA5000 and CA) replication Pierre Dorion answers a reader's question: What are the pros and cons of Data Guard-based replication vs. SAN-based (EVA5000 and CA) replication?

Narrow down your replication or CDP options Pierre Dorion offers suggestions on how to choose the best replication or CDP for your needs.

Choosing an offsite backup vendor Backup expert Curtis Preston offers guidelines for choosing an offsite backup vendor.

Replication of operating systems and applications Pierre Dorion offers advice on setting up a disaster recovery site for existing critical servers at a remote place using Legato's Replistor.

Major Jane Raymond CAP USAFA

MER/IT

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